Shoe-adapter



0. H. ABBOTT.

SHOE ADAPTER.

APPLICATION man JUNE 1.2, 1-920.

1,354,936. y Patented Oct. 5, 1920 narran star! PATENT OFFICE.

SHOE-ADAPTER.

Speccation of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 5, 1920.

Application filed June 12, 1920. Serial No. 388,629.

T 0 all fw 7mm t may concern Be it known that I, OsnonNE HEDLEY AB-Bor'r, a subject of the King of England, residing at London, England,have invented a certain new and useful Shoe-Adapter, of which thefollowing is a specification.

|This invention relates to boots or shoes for children or other youngpeople who are in the process of growth, and has for its main object toprovide a shoe-adapter such that a boot or shoe large enough to allowfor future growth of the foot, may be comfortably worn and accommodatedto the foot as the latter grows.

For the sake of economy, boots or shoes as at present made are usuallypurchased a little too large in size, which is uncomfortable for thewearer, and as soon as they become too tight owing to the growth of thefeet they have to be discarded; the present invention therefore providesfor greater economy and also for greater comfort.

According to the present invention, an adapter in the form of a sock foruse in a boot or shoe for the above-mentioned purpose .has an'upstanding end which may be integral or otherwise, and serves tovirtually shorten the length of the boot or shoe. Thus as the footgrows, part of the said upstanding end can be cut away, or anotheradapter can be substituted which has an ugstanding end thinner from backto front, so that more room is provided for the foot.

The adapter may comprise a plurality of nested layers, which layers maybe removed one at a time as required to allow for the growth of thefoot.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement, and in thecombination of parts described hereinafter and pointed out in theclaims.

ln the accompanying drawings Figure l is a perspective view of one formof shoe-adapter according to this invention;

Fig. 2 is a section through a shoe showing another form of adapter alsoaccording to this invention secured therein, and A Fig. 3 is a sideelevation of yet another form of shoe-adapter.

Referring first to Fig. l, the adapter comprises a sock-like portion orsock A. which may be of leather and has an upstanding end B at thetoe-end, which virtually reduces the length of the sock. In that face ofthe upstanding end which is toward the toes of the wearer, is a cavityB1 to accommodate the toes. It will be seen that such an adapter can beplaced within a boot or shoe, being fixed or not as may be convenrent,and has the effect of virtually shortenmg the length of the boot orshoel so that it can be worn in comfort although otherwise 1t would betoo large for the wearer. When the foot has grown, the adapter can beremoved or the upstanding end can be cut away to leave more room for thefoot, and thus the boot or shoe can still be worn with comfort.

If desired, the adapter may comprise a plurality of nested layers eachresembling a complete adapter, as shown at C, C1 in Figi. 2, so that asthe foot grows, the layers which are separable may be removed one at atime. The adapter C, C1, as shown, is fastened in the s hoe D by meansof brads D2 in the heelportion, as may bethe adapter A, B, but it willbe appreciated that this is not essential.

In Figs. l and 2, the upstanding end of each adapter is shown asintegral with the sockflike portion, but in Fig. 3 an adapter isillustrated comprising a sock E having an upstanding end which is formedby securing a separate part El on the end of the sock. |The thickness ofthe sock E diminishes gradually from the toe-end toward the heel-end.

It will be appreciated that although it has been stated that theadapters may be of leather, they may alternatively be constructed ofother materials such as cork, or cork and felt, as at present in use forsocks for boots or shoes.

rlhe adapter may obviously be sold as a separate article for applicationto any boot or shoe as required, or it may be sold as a part of the bootor shoe and secured in place as shown in Fig. 2.

lVhat l claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent isl. As a new article of manufacture, a shoe adapter comprising a solemember having at the toe end an integral upstanding portion, said solemember tapering in thickness toward the heel end. sul'istantially as andfor the purpose described.

2. A shoe-'adapter comprising n combination a plurality of layers ofmaterial consisting each of a seek-like portion having an upstanclingend nested one n another, sub- 5 stantially as set forth.

3.v The combination, with a shoe, of an adapter therein comprising aplurality of layers extending from the toe to the heel of the shoe, eachof which layers consists of a sock-like portion having an upstanclngenel l0 in the toe of the shoe, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I ax my signature.

OSBORNE HEDLEY ABBOTT.

